Bioterrorism Threat Reduction Funding Cut in the USA

Universal Detection Technology responds to proposals for massive spending cuts from the US Government on bio-defence including the reduction of the threat of bio-terrorism

Universal Detection Technology has responded to a House appropriations bill that would reallocate $2bn in funds for biodefense programs for vaccines and medicines.

The bill, passed by the House on July 1st, would cut funding to Project Bioshield, a program established in 2004 to incentivize private companies to develop clinical countermeasures to a bioterrorism attack.

The White House, which supports the measure, has expressed that Project Bioshield has "demonstrated limited success in providing incentive for private-sector developers and has not provided a robust pipeline of medical countermeasures," according to Nick Shapiro, a White House spokesperson.

According to former senators Bob Graham and Jim Talent, the measure "will drive a stake through the heart of America's fledgling biodefense efforts," as expressed in an open letter to President Obama yesterday. "It will require your intervention to avoid a self-inflicted wound to America's national security," the letter stated.

Graham and Talent also referenced a former bipartisan congressional committee's scathing report card published in January failing the US Government for adequately preparing the country for the threat of a bioterrorism attack, which gave the government a "F" letter grade for failure to "enhance the nation's capabilities for rapid response to prevent biological attacks from inflicting mass casualties."

The report gave 17 letter grades for the government's handling of WMD and terrorism. Out of the three "F" letter grades given, the most vocal from the commission was the failure to address the imminent threat of bioterrorism.

"The threat of bioterrorism continues to be a chief concern to our national security," said Jacques Tizabi, Universal Detection Technology's CEO. "Elevating the level of discourse and concern on Capitol Hill is crucial in our ability to adequately prepare ourselves with the right information, resources and equipment necessary to prevent, detect and counter against potential biothreats," continued Tizabi.